Port Blair, Feb 13: Under National TB Elimination programme (NTEP) A&N Islands, a Sub-National Certification (SNC) Survey was conducted in all three Districts. SNC Survey is a novel initiative by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI, New Delhi, to assess the progress towards TB Free Status by 2025, in which Districts/States/UTs are reviewed with graded reduction in current TB Incidence against baseline incidence of 2015 and awarded under Bronze, Silver, Gold and TB Free categories. This award claim is examined by an independent verification agency led by ICMR’s National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) & National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), WHO India and Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine (IAPSM).
During this survey, 60 volunteers in 30 teams went door to door in 30 randomly selected villages/wards in all three Districts, capturing data in WHO India’s District Level Annual Survey (DLAS) – Mobile App and collected samples for TB molecular testing from eligible participants, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners/Chairman, District Health Society and District TB Officers.
District Survey Participants Households
Surveyed Samples Collected TB Cases Diagnosed
South Andaman 21,661 6,168 259 6
N &MAndaman 10,563 3,027 373 1
Nicobar 11,316 3,264 230 2
A & N Islands 43,540 12,459 862 9
This survey was also used as a tool to enhance awareness about TB disease, its curable nature upon timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment. The Joint Secretary (NTEP) has thanked the public for extending support, cooperation during this survey and appealed that anyone with fever/ cough for more than 2 weeks should approach their nearest PHC/HWC and get themselves tested for TB at no cost.
